The Side Character Who Wins by Doing Nothing

Gu Jue nodded. "I had a flash of insight during my earlier battle with the City Lord. I’m preparing to return and enter seclusion to break through to the Nascent Soul Stage."

Hearing this good news, Lu Sangjiu was very happy for him. "That’s wonderful! It’s a rare opportunity, so you mustn’t delay!"

Gu Jue gave her a faint smile. "Yes. You all be careful."

Despite his warning, Gu Jue was actually able to leave with peace of mind because Xie Ningyuan had now recovered his cultivation.

Although the matter of the backlash probably wasn’t resolved yet, there wouldn’t be any major problems for the time being.

With him holding down the fort, they wouldn’t run into any serious trouble unless some Tribulation Crossing Ancestor came out of seclusion.

As he thought this, he suddenly turned his head to Xie Ningyuan. "Mr. Xie, could we speak in private for a moment?"

Xie Ningyuan raised an eyebrow slightly, having a good idea of what he wanted to say. He usually loved to bicker with Gu Jue, but this time, he said nothing. He simply nodded and followed him.

Seeing the two of them walk a short distance away and even set up a Barrier, Lu Sangjiu couldn’t help but look bewildered.

’Those two... since when did they get along so well? Now they have little secrets???’

It wasn’t just Lu Sangjiu who found it strange; the others were just as puzzled. Luo Linlang went "TSK," her eyes glinting with gossip as she stared in their direction. "Do you think they’ll start fighting?"

Lu Sangjiu: "..."

’Second Senior Sister, control yourself. Could you sound any more excited and expectant?’

’Besides, start a fight? Xie Ningyuan might, but Mr. Gu isn’t that childish.’

At that moment, Gu Jue looked directly at Xie Ningyuan and asked bluntly, "How is your backlash?"

Xie Ningyuan shrugged. "If I said it was fine, would you believe me?"

Gu Jue was silent for a moment, then sighed softly. "You shouldn’t have gotten involved with Lu Sangjiu."

The smile on Xie Ningyuan’s face faltered. He then lowered his gaze slightly. "...If I can’t find a solution in the end, I’ll give her a reason for my disappearance and then die somewhere she’ll never know."

Gu Jue frowned slightly. "Is deceiving her the best method you can think of?"

"From that Illusion Realm, you should have understood her feelings. The love is mutual... and yet you’re going to end things with deception?"

Xie Ningyuan’s smile was strained. "Gu Jue... do you have any idea how infuriating you can be sometimes?"

Gu Jue remained expressionless. "The truth is often hard to accept."

Xie Ningyuan clenched his fists. "Easy for you to say. If you were me, what would you choose?"

Gu Jue said flatly, "But I’m not you. If I were a Buddhist Practitioner, I never would have gotten involved with her in the first place. That’s called being responsible—to myself and to her."

Xie Ningyuan: "..."

’Well said, but the problem is, he hadn’t intended to get involved with her back then. He was just trying to save his own damn life.’

’Who would have thought that while he did end up saving his life and breaking his Heart Demon, he would suffer a backlash for developing feelings?’

’It was like chasing someone for a life-saving antidote, only for them to give you the antidote and then feed you another poison.’

’He didn’t mean to get involved; some things are just impossible to predict.’

Unfortunately, he couldn’t tell Gu Jue any of this, so he could only stand there, speechless from the verbal jab.

Finally, he said irritably, "So, you pulled me aside just to piss me off?"

Gu Jue shook his head. "I just wanted to tell you that when I return to the Lingjian Sect, I will help you look for a way to break this impasse. Just try to hold on a little longer."

Xie Ningyuan was taken aback, not expecting Gu Jue to say that. His mood gradually softened, and after a long moment, he said, "Thank you."

He didn’t ask why Gu Jue was willing to help him, because he had known all along that Gu Jue was a good person.

Therefore, Gu Jue wasn’t the type to think that if he died, he would be able to get together with Lu Sangjiu.

He would only do his best to help and save him so that Lu Sangjiu wouldn’t be sad or heartbroken.

’Tsk, that Pseudo Heavenly Dao may have terrible taste in choosing a female lead, but its taste in male leads is top-notch.’

After a moment’s hesitation, Xie Ningyuan spoke up. "Can I ask you for one more thing?"

Gu Jue: "If I said no, would you not ask anyway?"

"...No."

Xie Ningyuan’s expression didn’t change. Ignoring Gu Jue’s response, he said directly, "If, in the future, a day comes when Lu Sangjiu is isolated and helpless, can you promise to do your best to help her?"

Gu Jue gazed at him and said slowly, "I won’t promise."

Xie Ningyuan was stunned. Just as he was about to say more, he heard Gu Jue continue, "I will help her, but only because I want to. It has nothing to do with you."

His words were blunt, yet Xie Ningyuan wasn’t the least bit angry. In fact, his expression softened.

He chuckled softly. "Excellent."

After a moment of thought, he took a Seventh-grade Golden Spirit Pill from his storage bag. "I came across this by chance. Its effects are potent and perfectly suited for a Sword Cultivator with a Metal Spirit Root. It’s yours."

Gu Jue was clearly surprised. "Is this you being an opportunist? You hear that I’m going to help you, so you immediately stop disliking me and try to get on my good side?"

Xie Ningyuan rolled his eyes. "If you don’t know how to talk, you can just shut up."

With that, he shoved the pill directly into Gu Jue’s hand, then turned, waved his hand to dispel the Barrier, and walked toward Lu Sangjiu.

But after a few steps, he paused. Without turning back, he said softly, "You were wrong about one thing. I... have never disliked you."

’All this time, he had been wary of Gu Jue, but also held expectations for him.’

’He knew Gu Jue was a noble and upstanding person, which was why he worried Lu Sangjiu might fall for him.’

’And because he knew Gu Jue was a good person, he hoped he would be able to distinguish right from wrong and not become their enemy in the future.’

’Mmm, perhaps his words had often been a bit sharp because of it, but it was definitely not dislike.’

Gu Jue heard his words but said nothing. He just watched Xie Ningyuan’s back recede into the distance, then turned and left without a word.

Lu Sangjiu and the others were waiting nearby. Since Xie Ningyuan had said his last sentence after dispelling the Barrier, everyone had naturally heard it loud and clear.

Lu Sangjiu now gave the returning Xie Ningyuan a strange look, her expression conflicted. "Was that... a confession just now?"

Xie Ningyuan: "..."

He irritably raised his hand and rapped Lu Sangjiu on the head. "Don’t just throw words around. At best, that was a declaration!"

Lu Sangjiu immediately clutched her head. "HISS! You have no respect for your elders!"

Xie Ningyuan raised an eyebrow and said with a wicked grin, "I think you’re the one with no respect. I’m a grand senior at the Body Integration Realm. How dare a mere Golden Core Stage cultivator like you speak to me that way?"

Lu Sangjiu: "..."

’Hiss, so he’s getting cocky in front of me just because he knows I can’t talk back, is he?’

’So what if he’s at the Body Integration Realm? Sooner or later, I’ll return to my peak too!’

While the two were talking, Luo Linlang couldn’t help but cut in. "Alright, you two, stop your flirtatious bickering. It’s getting late, we should get going!"

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